


Shepherds We Shall Be

by Dean_loves_Cas_forever



Category: The Boondock Saints, The Walking Dead
Genre: Anal Sex, As Slow Burn as I can get, Blowjobs, Canon Divergence, Dirty Talk, Easy Mistake, Jealous Daryl Dixon, M/M, Not surprising considering who's in this, Possessive Daryl Dixon, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Rick mistakes Murphy for Daryl, Rough Sex, The Prison
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-25 13:59:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10765677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dean_loves_Cas_forever/pseuds/Dean_loves_Cas_forever
Summary: Having the Saints around is confusing but they're extremely useful when fighting the latest enemy.





	Shepherds We Shall Be

With it being the end of the world there wasn't much that surprised them anymore. But this, this wasn't something they were ever expecting to see.

During a run, Rick and Daryl had split up to cover the small town they'd found. Rick heard shuffling coming from upstairs and he crept up slowly, gun raised. He whipped around the corner into the master bedroom and dropped his gun with a sigh. 

"Jesus Daryl, what are you doing in here? We agreed that I'd cover this block and you'd cover the store." Rick said as he holstered his gun. Rick looked up at the other man and paused. "You were cutting your hair? Gotta say I'll miss it. Look like you did back at Hershel's farm." Rick raised an eyebrow as he looked over the rest of the man. "Where'd you find the clothes? I couldn't find jack when it came to clothes, found some blankets though. Where's your crossbow?"  Rick was confused, he hefted his bag onto his shoulder and stepped back cautiously. He started to notice things on Daryl that he's never noticed before, or things that had never been there before. He heard more footsteps coming from the master bathroom. 

"Murph I found more rope." A voice laughed. Daryl turned to the Irish man and laughed too.

"What are ya gonna use fuckin' rope for?" Rick stepped back again, he raised his gun and so did the Irish men. 

"Rick? Where'r'ya?! We're meant ta be headin' back now!" Rick knew it was Daryl, the Southern lilt in his voice was too recognizable. The archer found them with his crossbow ready. "What the fuck is goin' on?" Daryl demanded. The Irish men looked at each other then burst out laughing.  

"Lookie here Murph. We happened upon your fuckin' doppelganger." One of them laughed hitting the other on the back. Rick and Daryl glanced at each other. 

"Who are you?" Rick asked. The others slowed their laughter to a stop but they kept the smiles on their faces.

"You haven't heard of us?" Rick rolled his eyes and looked at Daryl who shrugged.

"We can't of heard of you if you don't tell us who you are?" Rick said.

"We're the Saint's." Daryl's lookalike stated. Daryl shook his head.

"Names?" He bit out. 

"Connor and Murphy MacManus." The other said. Rick and Daryl lowered their weapons.

"Rick Grimes. This is Daryl Dixon." Rick introduced cautiously. The Irish men smiled and took out a pack of cigarettes. Connor offered one to Daryl and Rick, the former took one gratefully. 

"You got a camp?" Murphy asked as they shouldered their bags. Rick nodded then looked at Daryl for confirmation. He nodded minutely. 

"How many walkers have you killed?" Rick asked.

"Haven't been countin'." Connor answered with a glance to his brother. 

"How many people have you killed?" The brother's chuckled before answering.

"Fuck, we haven't been counting that either." Murphy replied. Daryl looked at Rick, no-one had ever been that open about who they'd killed. 

"Why?" 

"We're called the Saints. You think we're killin' people in cold blood?!" Connor asked. Murphy nodded then looked at the other two men.

"Yeah, the people we've killed have been scumbags." Murphy said. 

"We still have the guns and shit from before." Connor said waving a duffle bag in their faces. Rick nodded. Daryl looked at him surprised then pulled him to the side. 

"Ya really think this is a good idea?" Daryl asked in a whisper, he kept his eyes on the Irish brother. 

"They haven't killed anyone innocent. We'll keep an eye on them." Rick said. Daryl sighed but nodded.

"A'ight if ya think they're good." Daryl said. They turned back to the brother's.

"You can come with us. We need to finish clearing the town, gotta finish filling the truck up." Rick said The brother's cheered and high-fived each other. The four men grabbed the bags and took them to the truck. Groaning and shuffling filled their ears.

"Musta heard the car doors." Daryl muttered to Rick. Connor put a hand on Daryl's chest gently.

"We've got it." He said, Murphy started to load their guns. 

"Prove ourselves." Murphy said as he passed Connor his two guns. Rick and Daryl nodded skeptically then the brother's turned to the small herd. They knelt down and bowed their heads, praying quietly. Rick looked at Daryl with his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Daryl shrugged and looked at the two as they stood up again. They took out all 15 walkers in a matter of seconds. They knelt again, this time next to the fallen and prayed again before turning back to Rick and Daryl. They slapped each other's backs then got into the truck with the other men. 

"This is going to be fun to explain." Rick mentioned offhandedly to the hunter next to him.

* * *

 "They're back!" Glenn shouted down to Carl. The boy jumped up and ran to open the gate for his dad and Daryl then closed it behind them. 

"What did you get?" Carl asked excitedly. Rick chuckled, even at 15, Carl was still very much a child. He grinned when Daryl got out of the car and handed him some books. Then he froze when the two Irish brother's stepped out. 

"Carl these are..." Rick started but Carl cut him off. 

"The Saints!" Carl exclaimed, Rick looked at his son shocked then glanced at Daryl again. 

"You know them?" Rick asked. 

"Know them? Dad, these guys have killed so many mafia men and scumbags, they're fucking awesome! Did you not see them no the news?!" Carl rambled excitedly, he never took his eyes off the brother's. "I knew I recognised Daryl!" Carl hopped over to the Irish men and introduced himself. Rick and Daryl shared a worried glance then hauled the bags into the prison.

"Hey everyone. We got some new people on the run and shit's going to be confusing from now on." Rick announced after the family had calmed down slightly.

"What do you mean?" Hershel asked.

"Means one of 'em has my face." Daryl answered bitterly. Everyone started speaking at once then the twins walked in and silence filled the common area. Murphy smirked and back-handed Connor's arm lightly.

"Ya gonna introduce us then?" Murphy asked, Rick looked at him and nodded.

"Everyone this is Murphy and Connor MacManus. Boys this is Maggie and Carol, my sisters, Glenn, my brother, Hershel, father and Carl and Judith, my kids." Rick pointed to each person in turn except Judith who was sleeping in her cell. They all nodded to each other then continued their business. The brother's watched everyone interact curiously but both were mostly confused by Rick and Daryl's relationship. 

" _What do you think's going on between them?"_ Connor asked his brother, knowing no-one would understand them. 

 _"I don't know but what do you say we fuck around with them?"_ Murphy replied with a mischievous grin.

 _"What are you suggesting?"_ Connor leant back against the wall, smirking too. A few members of the group looked at them, well at Murphy. They rarely saw Daryl even curl his lips in a smile so to see someone who looked like their beloved hunter full on grinning was a strange sight to them. 

 _"I look like Daryl, so if Rick's attracted to him, which by the looks of it he is, then to some extent he'll be attracted to me, right?"_ Murphy started, he kept stealing glances at the two men stood over the weapons. Connor nodded. 

" _Aye."_ Connor says acknowledging his brother's theory and edging him to continue.

 _"So I say, I try and make Daryl jealous. You know, work him up enough to get him to do something."_ Murphy finished with a pleased smirk and leant back against one of the tables. Connor laughed lightly and nodded.

 _"That's a good plan, Murph."_ Connor said with a smile. He reached out and gently slapped Murphy's cheek, to which the other retaliated and slapped him back. The group watched as the boys started to play fight and small smiles set on their faces. They stopped fighting when they heard giggles, they stood and looked towards the sound. Judith ran out of her cell giggling as Carl chased her, she ran straight into Daryl's legs and hid. Daryl's lips curved upwards and he picked her up. 

"Is he tryna get ya?" Daryl cooed, he tickled her sides lightly and she hid her face in his neck. The family watched the scene fondly. Connor and Murphy glanced at each other, Connor nodded. They saw how Rick was watching the two boys tickle her longingly, they knew these were good men who'd gone through shit. 

"Rick, can ya show me to the showers?" Murphy asked, Rick nodded and lead the way with once last look at the boys. Daryl watched Rick walk away with Murphy and something stirred in him. Rick turned to Murphy as they reached the shower room and was surprised to see the man already had his shirt off, he watched the man walk by and noticed he had all the same tattoos as Daryl with 5 additional tattoos. Rick swallowed thickly. 

"We don't have hot water but water pressures alright." Rick said, he looked away from Murphy as the man undressed. "Murphy?" Rick said to get the man's attention.

"Murph, you can call me Murph." He answered. Rick bowed his head in acknowledgement then continued. 

"Do you want to share a cell with Connor or do you want separate cells?" Rick asked, he kept his eyes away from the naked man in front of him. 

"We'll share." Murphy said, he turned on the shower then got in. No shame. Rick nodded again, a blush worked it's way up his neck. 

"Rick? You ok?" Carol asked as the man walked into the kitchen. 

"Err yeah. Murphy, he's very... erm open." Rick stuttered, Carol chuckled. 

"You boys are so stupid." Carol commented lightly and turned back to her job. Rick looked at her confused but shook his head and walked into the common room. Connor was talking to Glenn and Maggie, Daryl was still with Carl and Judith and Hershel was reading. 

"Connor, you and Murphy can take the cell over there." Rick said pointing to a cell under the perch in the middle of the cell block. 

"One cell?" Connor asked. 

"Yeah, Murphy said you'd share." Rick said. Connor stood and started towards the shower room, Rick looked at his family and followed the Irish man with them following closely behind.

"Murph, why the fuck you saying we're going to share?!" Connor shouted as he stormed into the shower room, uncaring that his brother was naked. He strode up the his twin and smacked him upside the head. 

"The fuck?" Murphy said, he turned and slapped the other back. Once again the boys were fighting, rolling around on the wet floor and neither man cared that Murphy was naked or that they had an audience. Daryl looked over to Rick and something fluttered inside him again when he saw the other man's eyes focused on the naked man. 

"Get off of me, ya prick." Connor yelled.

"Hey, respect your elders!" Murphy snapped kicking his legs out.

"Ya don't know you're older than me, fucker." Connor twisted Murphy's arm back and the other man hit his brother's head. 

"Ma said the one with the bigger cock was born first." Murphy bit out as he rolled them over. Rick blushed and looked away from the brother's.

"I'd had ice on mine." Connor grabbed at his twins arms. Murphy broke out of his brother's grasp and stood tall and proud. 

"Brother, God hath blessed me with a dick that is way above average." Murphy announced as he signed the cross with a big smile. Connor huffed and pulled himself up, he looked down at his own crotch then shook his head. 

"Whatever." Connor waved his hand in dismissal. Rick looked away from the naked man again but this time glanced at Daryl. His mind drifted to the hunter's body; that was another thing that set Daryl and Murphy apart, Daryl had broad shoulders and thick arms, sure Murphy had the broad shoulders and muscled arms but they resembled that of Daryl's back at Hershel's farm and Daryl's muscle mass had increased since them... by a lot. Other than that, they both had similar bodies and that begged the question, if Murphy was so well endowed then was Daryl the same? Rick shuddered minutely at that thought. Everyone was laughing quietly at the brother's argument.

"Come on, let's go eat." Carol said. Immediately everyone turned and rushed to the common area. Rick glanced at the brother's then followed his family. 

Daryl glared at the MacManus brothers as the family listened to them speak, telling stories of their glory days. He wanted so much to hate them but he couldn't. Carl noticed the quiet hunter and turned to him 

"You're going hunting tomorrow, right?" He asked softly, Daryl looked at him surprised and nodded. "Can I come?"

"You'll have ta ask yer dad." Daryl murmured. Carl nodded. 

"Thanks for the books by the way." Daryl smirked and nodded again. 

Carl stood up and pulled Daryl with him, the hunter followed confused. Carl dragged him out to the farm, away from everyone. "What's wrong?" Carl asked, Daryl shuffled awkwardly and looked down at his feet. "Come on, I know something's up, so what is it?" Carl stepped up to the man and held his arm comfortingly, he was happy to see that Daryl didn't flinch away from him.

"Nothin'." Daryl muttered hiding behind his long hair. Carl ducked down to look under the dark strands.

"Dare I know you, something's wrong and I want to know what's up." Carl said softly. Daryl looked around nervously and shook his head. "Please."

"It's nothin' really." Carl shook his head.

"Is it something about the Saints?" Daryl huffed, he'd wanted it to sound angry but it just came out sad. "Murphy?" The archer looked up at the sky, at the fence, anywhere that wasn't the teen in front of him.

"Ain't nothing to do with that prick." He replied half-heartedly. Carl snorted.

"So it is. What do you have against him?" Carl asked, he made his voice soft.

"Nothing against him. He's just a better version of me, I guess." Daryl finally looked at Carl, expecting to see pity but instead he saw disbelief and sadness.

"What do you mean?" Carl stepped forward and took Daryl's hand gently in his. Daryl smiled and squeezed the boy's hand.

"He's a good man, he's killed but he's killed bad people. His only scars are from him being a good man, he had-has a loving family. He has more courage... more courage to..." Daryl trailed off and looked down at their hands.

"More courage to talk to dad?" Carl asked. " _You_ are a good man, you _have_ a loving family and your scars? They're nothing to be ashamed of, they make you who you are." Daryl opened his mouth to object but Carl stopped him. "You think you aren't courageous or strong because of those scars but they show how strong you are, you went through that and you came out the other side the strongest man I know. Every day you wake up with all this shit in your head, making yourself think you aren't worth a dime, but you get up anyway, you get up and you work your ass off for us. You look after Judith and I like we're your own. You put us over yourself in a heartbeat even laying down your life for us. You don't need courage to talk to dad because he'd choose you over anyone, not Murphy, not Shane, you. You've been there for my dad and I for a long time, through everything, you were there. And Daryl if that doesn't make you the strongest, most selfless son of a bitch out there then I don't know what does. And yes I admire the Saints but they have nothing on you. I'd choose you over them any day too. You're like a second father to me and I love you." Carl said, he looked into the other man's eyes and held his gaze as he spoke so he knew that the man believed what he was saying. Daryl smiled and looked down at his feet with watery eyes. Carl wrapped his arms around the man and held on tight. "Hey how'd you stay in shape?" Carl asked when he stepped back. Daryl shook his head and laughed. "What?! I wanna get stronger." Carl laughed defensively. 

"I'll show ya after we eat." Daryl smiled and lead Carl back into the prison with a hand on the boy's back. As soon as they entered the common area, Judith jumped down and ran to Carl. Rick looked over at Daryl and then looked back to Murphy. The hunter was wearing his usual ripped black jeans and sleeveless shirt with his leather vest and boots, his tan skin was muddy and sweaty, just the way he liked it. The Irish man was wearing a black shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows and blue jeans with boots and his black P-coat, his skin was clean from the shower. They were so similar but so different at the same time. After everyone finished eating they left to do their own things; Murphy, Connor, Rick and Glenn stayed seated, happily talking. "C'mon Carl." Daryl said leading the boy to the clear space between the tables and the stairs to the perch. "Let's see ya do a push-up." Daryl knelt down next to the boy as he got into position, the 4 men at the table turned so they could watch the lesson and talk at the same time. "Naw like this." Daryl laughed after watching Carl attempt to do one push-up. Daryl showed Carl how to do it, then praised the boy when he successfully did one. 

"That's easy!" Carl exclaimed. "Let's see who can do more." Daryl snorted but nodded. 

"You're going to lose." Rick laughed once they'd started. The four men started to cheer for them.

"Go! Keep going!" Carl said when he collapsed. Daryl laughed and kept going until he started to shake. In the end, Carl fell after 52 and Daryl fell at 147. The other men decided they wanted to try to see where'd they get to. Rick got to 124, Murphy got to 131, Glenn got to 96 and Connor got to 127. Rick looked over at Daryl and blushed. Carl nudged the hunter and nodded to his dad, who was looking at his feet. 

"Rick? Carl wants ta go huntin' with me tomorrow, that ok with you?" Daryl asked lightly slapping Rick's upper arm. The archer reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette, he lit it and took a drag. Rick smiled at the man and nodded. 

"Of course. Better get to bed then Carl." Rick said. Carl huffed but smiled and nodded. He hopped up and hugged Rick, Daryl and Glenn then waved to the Saints. 

"Night." He said as he wandered back to his cell. Daryl nodded his goodnight then wandered off to his cell. Rick watched him leave, admiring the man's form unabashedly. Connor turned to Murphy and grinned before retiring to their cell with a nod. Glenn followed suit leaving Rick and Murphy alone together. Murphy leant close to the man.

"By the looks of it ya haven't told him." Murphy whispered.

"Told-told him what?" Rick stuttered with a blush. Murphy smiled.

"Told Daryl that you like him." Murphy replied leaning closer. "I want to help." Rick looked at Murphy surprised then looked over to Daryl's cell. 

"Why?" Rick asked suspiciously. Murphy chuckled and leant back on his hands. 

"You deserve it, both of you." Murphy simply said. Rick was silent for a moment before he nodded. "I've already started my plan so you just need to play along, okay?" Murphy added with a smirk. Rick nodded again. 

"Thank you." Rick muttered, he patted the Irishman's arm then retired to his cell. 

* * *

 Rick woke up before the sun came up the next morning and entered the common area curiously upon hearing faint clicking. 

"Mornin'." Murphy greeted with a smile. He was sat at one of the tables field stripping his guns.

"Morning, where's Connor?" Rick only asked because he could tell that the Saints were the sort of brother's who were so in sync that they'd wake up at the same time. 

"Shower." Murphy answered keeping his eyes on the guns. 

"You said you'd started your plan?" Murphy hummed. "What's your plan?" Murphy looked up at Rick and nodded towards Daryl's cell.

"Well, I figured Daryl was pretty protective over what's his so if I work him up enough he'll do something to establish his dominance." Murphy explained.

"Work him up?" Rick asked.

"Ya know make him jealous." Murphy replied with a joyous inflection. 

"Daryl, Daryl doesn't get jealous." Rick murmured, shaking his head. They both heard footsteps on the catwalk upstairs.

"I'll show you." Murphy whispered. Daryl stomped down the metal steps and scowled when he noticed the two men standing close and whispering to each other. "Told you." Murphy whispered, he nodded over to the man who was hiding behind his hair once again. Rick turned to Daryl and caught the brief flash of envy before the man looked away.

"Morning Daryl, did you sleep well?" Rick asked with a smile. Daryl grunted and Murphy snickered. 

"Somethin' funny?" Daryl hissed, Murphy shook his head and raised his hands in surrender still chuckling. He glanced at Rick and left the room with a nod. Daryl grunted again then pulled out a packet. 

"No more packets left?" Rick asked as he stepped forward, closer to Daryl. The hunter took the paper between his fore and middle finger to open the tobacco, he glanced up at Rick through his hair. The look wasn't meant to be seductive but it still made Rick's heart stutter and made his skin heat up. Rick watched his friend roll the cigarette, unable to look away. Daryl smirked slightly as he looked down at the task at hand and, as he bought it up to his mouth to seal it, he made eye contact with the other man. Rick blushed as he watched the man's tongue peek between his lips and wet the length of the paper. They maintained eye contact while Daryl took the cigarette between his lips and light it. Daryl looked over Rick while taking a drag, the other man was making him feel things he'd never felt before; jealousy, a teasing playfulness, lust. He showed off by puffing out a smoke ring then slowly exhaled to release the rest of the smoke, which gently curled around Rick's face like the leader's hair. Rick smirked at the man then glanced away shyly. Daryl stepped closer to Rick as he took another drag, Rick watched Daryl's lips as he did so and felt his skin heating up again. Daryl noticed the leader's flushed skin with a small smile then stepped even closer to Rick. Once they were nose to nose, Daryl slowly blew the smoke out of his mouth and over Rick's face. While the act of having someone blow cigarette smoke in one's face was usually unwanted, Rick's breath hitched excitedly. All he had to do was lean forward and...

"Daryl?!" The hunter stepped back with a smirk on his face then, before he turned to answer the Irish man, he winked at the other man. Connor and Murphy entered the common area with wide smiles. "Can we come with ya?" Connor asked once they'd stopped in front of the hunter. 

"Yeah we want to make ourselves useful." Murphy added. Daryl shrugged and nodded. 

"We're eating first then we'll go." Daryl said before wandering off to the kitchen to get a can of peaches for each of them. "Here." Daryl muttered, handing Connor and Murphy a can each. "I got ya oranges." Rick blushed at the man's thoughtfulness and thanked him. Carl woke up not long after everyone had eaten. 

"Come _on_  let's go!" Carl whined excitedly. Rick and Daryl chuckled. Daryl nodded and started to gather everything they needed. 

"Be careful, okay?" Rick said to his son in a concerned tone. Carl nodded. "And listen to Daryl." He continued, once again Carl nodded. "And..." 

"Dad!" Carl exclaimed with a laugh. "I'll be careful, I promise."

"And listen to Daryl." Rick insisted. 

"And listen to Daryl." Carl parroted mockingly but he knew his dad was worried. Rick pulled the teen into a hug then lightly pushed him towards the door. 

"Go wait outside." Rick laughed. Carl smiled then wandered outside. 

"Ya want us to listen to Daryl too?" Connor mocked. Rick raised an eyebrow and smirked. 

"That would probably be a wise idea." Rick said. Connor shook his head with a huff of laughter then the brothers followed Carl outside. Daryl walked down the metal steps with a duffle on one shoulder and his crossbow in hand. He approached Rick with a small smile. 

"We won't be gone long. I saw a deer wanderin' 'round here not too long ago." Daryl said softly. 

"Be careful, watch out for Carl." Rick whispered, Daryl looked into the leader's eyes and nodded. 

"Of course." Daryl replied sincerely. Rick smiled his thanks and pulled the other man into a quick hug. 

"Be safe." Rick called as the hunter walked away. 

* * *

 They tracked the deer for 3 hours before Daryl could put a bolt between its eyes. Daryl hefted it onto his broad shoulders then lead the other 3 to a clearing. 

"What are we doing? We got the deer, shouldn't we be heading back?" Connor asked confused as they sat down on a log. 

"We have ta gut it." Daryl said pulling out his knife. Connor and Murphy looked at each other with grossed out looks on their faces. 

"Really? You killed people for a living." Carl laughed. The twins scowled at home half-heartedly. 

"We didn't gut them! We just killed them!" Connor insisted. Daryl snorted and started to gut the deer. Carl watched, entranced, occasionally asking questions. Daryl entertained the boy with a smile and was pleased to see that even the twins seemed interested. 

They were all laughing at something Carl had said when they heard a loud snap. Daryl dropped his knife immediately and raised his crossbow, the twins raised their guns and the three men stood around Carl. They heard another twig snap and the three men turned to the left. 

"Dare!" Carl shouted and the men's heads whipped around. A man had the boy in a chockhold with a gun to his head. 

"Let him go!" Daryl growled angrily. The stranger grinned sickly. 

"Drop your weapons." He demanded. Daryl threw his crossbow down and glared at the man. Reluctantly Connor and Murphy did the same. "Good. Go ahead." The stranger said nodding to someone behind them. Hands grabbed at Daryl's arms and around his shoulders. The hunter shouted and thrashed but there were too many hands. 

"Let him go." Daryl growled but the stranger just laughed. 

"I don't think you're in any position to be giving orders." The stranger stood back loosening his grip slightly only to hit Carl in the back of his neck knocking the teen out. Daryl growled out angrily and began thrashing again. The twins glanced at each other then at Daryl. 

"Who are you?" Murphy asked and the stranger turned his attention on the Irishman. 

"Oh we have twins." The stranger exclaimed clapping his hands, the men around the stranger laughed. "I'm the Governor." He said proudly. "And who might you be?" 

"Murphy and Connor MacManus. That's Daryl Dixon and... Carl." Murphy knew Carl's last name but he didn't want to the strangers to know they had more people. "Carl Dixon." Daryl glanced at Murphy with thanks in his eyes, Murphy nodded minutely. Daryl tried to ignore the warm feeling in his chest when Murphy called the teen Carl Dixon, he knew it was longing, he knew what he wanted but he wasn't sure he could get it. 

"Well Murphy, I'm going to take Daryl here now." The Governor said, the men holding Daryl dragged the man into the surrounding trees. Murphy went to move but Connor held his brother back. "Ok! See you around." The Governor said abruptly then turned and lead his men back through the forest. The brothers watched in shock then sprung into action. Connor lifted Carl onto his shoulders in a firemans lift while Murphy packed everything away and lifted the deer onto his own shoulders. 

"Crossbow. Get his crossbow." Connor said before they stepped away. 

"Right." Murphy picked up the weapon then lead the way back to the prison. Glenn opened the gate and shut it behind them but looked through it confused. 

"Where's...?" Glenn turned to them and noticed that Connor was carrying Carl. "What happened?!" Murphy shook his head and walked straight into the prison with Connor. They found Rick in the common area with Judith and Maggie. 

"What's happened?!" Rick asked when he saw Carl. He looked behind the twins searching for a certain hunter but his shoulders drooped when he couldn't see him. "Where's Daryl?" He asked Murphy while Connor laid the teen in his cell. Murphy looked down at the floor. "What happened, Murph?" Rick pressed. 

"We were in a clearing, gutting the damn deer when some guys came out of nowhere and grabbed Carl then grabbed Daryl. The prick knocked Carl out then took Daryl somewhere. I don't know where, I'm sorry." Murphy looked at Rick. The man had tears in his eyes but he was looking up at the ceiling, trying to blink them away. "I'm sorry, Rick. There was nothin' we could do that wouldn't have gotten one of your boys hurt or killed." Murphy said softly. Rick shook his head and laughed humourlessly.

"It's not your fault, Murph. I don't blame you for anything. You got my son home safely and we'll find Daryl." Rick insisted with a sad smile. Connor stepped out of Carl's cell and stood next to his brother. 

"We will find him." He said determinedly with a sharp nod.

* * *

 


End file.
